It has been 354 days since Alabama most recently trailed in a football game.
The Tide fell behind twice to Georgia on Oct. 17, 2020 before pulling ahead late in the third quarter and winning, 41-24. Since then, Alabama has played 14 games and won all of them without falling behind, a streak that is the longest of any FBS team since 1950, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Once Alabama cleared the hurdle of then-No. 3 Georgia in Tuscaloosa last season, it faced relatively calm waters until an SEC championship game shootout against Florida.
This season could follow a similar formula.
With a trio of games against top-15 opponents in Miami, Florida and Ole Miss having been handled, Alabama has a favorable schedule on the horizon. Its next five games are against teams that are currently not ranked -- at Texas A&M, at Mississippi State, vs. Tennessee, vs. LSU and vs. New Mexico State.
Anything can happen -- and Nick Saban will surely remind his players of that -- but his team’s streak of 100 consecutive wins over unranked opponents suggests Alabama will not be tested in the immediate future.
Alabama’s final two regular-season opponents, Arkansas and Auburn, are currently ranked but the trajectory of the season indicates the Tide will clear the SEC West and meet Georgia in the SEC championship game.
A couple of weeks ago, it appeared Alabama had some issues. Now its biggest issue is simply not tripping up before what seems to be an inevitable date with Georgia.
How did things progress so quickly? Here is a look at what Alabama has done consistently well this season, what it has done better lately and where it could still improve:
What Alabama has consistently done well:
1. Starting quickly -- Alabama is outscoring opponents 73-3 in first quarters this season and has scored touchdowns on 12 of its 15 possessions that began in the first frame, including the past 10. The exceptions were the first two drives against Mercer and a field goal it kicked early against Miami.
2. Efficiency of passing game -- Alabama has attempted two fewer passes (158) than it did through five games last season (160) for almost 500 fewer yards. But it is still among the most efficient passing teams in the nation, with a 186.75 rating that ranks fourth among FBS teams. Only two schools, SMU and Pittsburgh, have thrown more passing touchdowns this season in five games than Alabama’s 18.
3. Not allowing explosive passing plays -- Alabama has allowed only three passing plays of 30 yards or more this season, and only one in a first half. That came on a 30-yard gain by Florida’s Keon Zipperer. The others were a 60-yard touchdown by Mercer in the third quarter, and a 42-yard, fourth-quarter catch by Ole Miss on Saturday.
Where Alabama has shown improvement:
1. Red zone offense -- The Tide had some trouble punching the ball into the end zone early in the season, scoring seven touchdowns on 12 trips over the first two games. It has gone 13-for-15 in scoring touchdowns over the past three games, and Will Reichard has not attempted a field goal in the past two.
2. Penalties -- Nick Saban slammed the podium and spoke about days of reckoning after his team committed nine penalties against Mercer for 98 yards. That swelled to 11 for 75 yards the next week against Florida but the number has ticked down the past two weeks, with five flags against Ole Miss being a season low.
3. Offensive balance -- Alabama has run the ball 83 times for 421 yards its past two games, a clip of over five yards per carry that has improved upon a 4.2 rate over the first two games. “We don’t want to be a one trick pony, so being able to have a balanced attack in the air and on the ground makes it harder to game plan for us during the week,” right tackle Chris Owens said Tuesday.
What Alabama could still do better:
1. Explosive passing game -- With no DeVonta Smith or Jaylen Waddle, Alabama has morphed this season into an offense that spreads the ball around and chews up yardage more than it swallows it whole. It has seven completions of 30 or more yards, although none have come in its two SEC games. Alabama had 17 such completions through five games last season. This season, John Metchie had catches of 37 and 41 yards in the first two games but has been limited to eight yards a catch over the past three games. Alabama rarely faces situations where it needs to score quickly, but having that threat clearly was a benefit to the offense last season.
2. Late-game differential -- “One thing we probably need to continue to develop is our ability to finish,” Nick Saban said Monday, and its 79-72 scoring differential in second halves this season is one factor that has kept truly dominating wins elusive. “The key around here is four quarters, and that’s something that we haven’t done,” defensive lineman Justin Eboigbe said Monday. “We haven’t played a complete 60 minutes, and we know around here that’s how you’re judged about playing each and every week.”
3. Red zone defense -- Alabama’s defense started off the season strong inside the 20-yard line, holding Miami out of the end zone on three tries. It has given up touchdowns on 8 of 10 opponent trips over the past three games, which has contributed to the second-half slippage.
Mike Rodak is an Alabama beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @mikerodak.